I Need a Little Favor
by Sydelle Rein
Summary: KD; Dom's having some trouble with an old flirt who won't leave him alone. Kel comes to his rescue.


Kel had just put down a book she'd been reading when a person burst through her door and skidded to a halt in the middle of her room. Kel raised an eyebrow at the intruder.

"Kel! Listen, I need a little favor…" Dom said, smiling mischievously, though at the same time pleadingly.

"What can I do?" Kel asked, raising her eyebrow higher. This was interesting.

"Well…ok so it's sort of a big favor…" Dom admitted, running a hand through his hair. "There's….sort of this girl…"

Kel rolled her eyes, turning her back to him and putting her book on her shelf so he wouldn't see her lose grip of her Yamani mask. When she turned back to face him it was firmly in place once more.

"Oh ya?" she asked, smiling teasingly, though she felt like doing anything but. "The famous Domitan is needing lady-advise? Having trouble wooing a specific girl?"

"Um…not exactly." The faintest pink hue touched his cheeks. "I think I wooed this girl a little too well. She won't leave me alone!"

Kel laughed. "What did you do? Sneak her a love potion?"

"No…we sort of courted a while back—a _long_ while back. Well, I mean she thought we were courting apparently. I thought we were just flirting around a bit for fun. But it was nothing serious. And I guess we never officially ended it, I just…sort of left with the Own like normal and…well…."

"Without saying anything?" Kel demanded, chastising him. "How long ago was this?"

"About two years ago."

"And she's been waiting for you to come back all this time?"

"No!" Dom answered, raising his hands in defense. "She's just here and figures maybe we can pick up where we left off. At least I _think_ that's what she's thinking. I keep running off before she can say as much. But she keeps _finding _me!"

Kel laughed again, a little more sincerely this time. This actually was pretty funny. Dom obviously didn't like this lady.

"Which brings me to the favor…" Dom said again, eyeing her hopefully. "I know it might be kind of weird, but I don't know who else to ask."

Kel's interest was thoroughly peaked now.

"Kel, would you pretend to be my girl so she'll think I'm taken and leave me alone?"

"You want me to _what?" _Kel asked as her mind, heart, and stomach went in circles. She wondered for a moment what it would be like to agree to the favor. It would all be an act, yes, but she'd get to live out her secret dreams for a couple days, as long as that other lady was somewhere nearby. Shouldn't she be thrilled at this chance?

But on the other hand, Dom asking her to do this told her quite clearly that he didn't think of her that way at all seriously. This whole charade would be a massive joke to him. That thought brought her fantasizing crashing down and her heart sank lower than it ever had before.

"Dom, no…I can't," she said, trying her best to look like she thought the whole idea was absolutely hysterical. "That would just be too awkward." The moment she said that she feared maybe she'd said too much. Would he think too much into that? About _why_ it would be awkward?

"I know it would be awkward, since we're such close friends and all, but _please?_" She thought she'd almost prefer him to read too much into it than to just brush it off like that.

"Dom…"

"_Please?"_ he said again. "Please Kel I'll do anything! I'm kind of desperate."

Desperation. The only thing that could drive him to think of her this way. Kel had officially hit rock bottom.

"Fine," she said. "But you owe me!"

"Thank you!" He picked her up and spun her around once before setting her down again. "Come on! I know where she is."

"How did I get roped into this?" she muttered out loud as he dragged her from her room.

-

"Ok, there she is," Dom whispered. His breath tickled her ear.

"_Her?" _Kel asked, watching the woman sitting on a stone bench in the garden next to another woman. She was absolutely beautiful—the very definition of every shallow court girl's dream: curvy, slight, ivory skin with bouncy, curly brown hair, wearing a very flattering and stylish gown. It looked like she wore hardly any makeup at all yet she was more lovely than any lady Kel had ever seen.

"Oh no," Dom muttered.

"What now?"

"Ilene," he said. "Another…um, acquaintance of mine from a while back. By the way, the first one's name is Sonia."

Kel inwardly groaned. Now she had to deceive _two _women. She'd really rather not be here. She turned her attention to the second woman—equally beautiful, and actually the two women looked a great deal alike, though not enough for anyone to mistake them as related.

So this was Dom's "type," then. Kel wanted very much to run away and hide. She wasn't anything like those ladies.

"All right, ready?" he asked. Not waiting for her answer, he wrapped his arm around her waist and started walking forward.

Kel felt like she was going to faint.

_Just an act, just an act, just an act._

Oh Mithros she wished so much it wasn't.

Dom didn't take his eyes off Kel as they walked casually towards, then passed, the bench, smiling flirtatiously. Kel forced herself to do the same, fighting desperately the blush that threatened to arise as she starred deeply into his blue eyes. She even managed a flirtatious giggle.

"Domitan?" a rather shrill voice called.

Dom stopped, and looked around uncertainly, as if just realizing the other two ladies were there. "Sonia! Ilene! I'm sorry, I didn't see you there." He drew Kel, who had moved every so slightly away from him as his attention shifted, closely to himself. "How are you two doing this lovely day?"

"We're doing well," Sonia said slowly, eyeing Kel suspiciously.

"And who is this?" Ilene asked, also eyeing Kel.

"Oh I'm sorry!" Dom said, feigning sudden realization. "I'm just so used to everyone knowing her. May I introduce to you my Kel. Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan."

"_Your _Kel?" Sonia repeated.

Dom kissed the top of Kel's head in reply. Kel shivered.

"Dom, honey aren't you forgetting part two of the introduction?" Kel askd. Dom looked at her questioningly.

"I believe _your Kel_ is waiting for you to introduce us to _her," _Sonia supplied reasonably.

"Ah! Of course. Kelly, this is Lady Sonia and Lady Ilene, we met a few years ago." Kelly? Kel thought to herself. Great. Another horrible nickname. She hoped this one didn't stick.

"Oh really?" Kel asked, feigning interest. "Dearheart, why didn't you ever tell me about them if you're such good friends?" Both lady's eyes sparked realizing Dom hadn't mentioned them once, but Sonia seemed far more agitated than Ilene.

"Sorry sweet, I guess I just never thought about it."

"So. You two are…together I presume?" Sonia asked, eyeing them dangerously.

"Oh yes, we've been together for over a year now," Kel answered, looking up at Dom and batting her eyelashes.

"Fourteen months next Tuesday," Dom continued. His eyes sparkled when he looked at her. Kel saw the sparkle to be amusement, but had no doubt that the two ladies saw something quite different. "Though I've been in love with her almost since we first met, almost seven years ago."

"And I was in love with him all that time too," she answered, looking into his eyes. He'd assume she was lying, and it was far easier to deceive someone when you're actually telling the truth.''

"I can't believe neither of us said anything," Dom said, purposefully ignoring the other two. "Tell me again why you fell in love with me?" His amused eyes began to twinkle in mischief as well as amusement. Kel could kill him. Not that she didn't have plenty to say.

"I love the way your eyes light up when you're up to something," she said quite honestly. "I love the way you can make me laugh when no one else can." She didn't want to go any further. This was getting too personal—even if he did think she was lying. "Tell me again why _you_ love _me_?" she asked.

"That's easy," he answered. "I love the way you fight for what you believe in. I like the way you're so difficult to read, and love those rare moments when I can see through that mask of yours anyways. You're smart—brilliant in fact, beautiful, kind. You're the Protector and—" he suddenly stopped and blushed ever so faintly.

Kel's heart froze. He sounded so sincere. He couldn't be that good an actor, could he? She desperately tried to remind herself that this was only a deception for his two old flirts.

"Well congratulations," Sonia said suddenly and stiffly. Dom jumped slightly, as though just remembering the other two ladies were there. "And I'm afraid Ilene and I must be going. The two women abruptly took their leave.

The moment they were gone Dom let go of Kel's waist and whooped. "Kel that was brilliant! Where'd you learn to act?" he's face was split into the broadest grin she'd ever seen. He truly did find this absolutely hysterical. She took a step away from him, mask tucked firmly in place once more. "Kel?" he asked, grin fading. "What's wrong?"

Kel shook her head. Then, without any indication, she punched him in the gut and stalked away towards her rooms, leaving him coughing and spluttering.

"K-Kel!" he called after her. She ignored him. He didn't follow, for which she was glad.

-

Why did I do that? Kel asked herself for the millionth time since the incident. What if she had given everything away with that one slip of her temper? Would he realize everything? The thought horrified her. She had quite possibly destroyed their seven years of friendship in that one instance.

Several hours later, her door opened without a knock, and Dom leaned against the doorframe.

"I can think of four explanations," Dom said casually. Kel didn't answer. He entered the room and shut the door behind him. "Explanation number one: you have a secret dream to be an actress, and putting you through that performance opened up old wounds at your disappointment." Kel snorted. "Ya…I didn't really think that was it," Dom admitted.

"Explanation number two:" he continued, "you secretly hate me with every fiber of your being, and putting you through that performance sickened you, so you had to lash out with all your pent up hatred." Kel didn't say anything. She knew she didn't have to, he already knew she didn't hate him. But his face grew much more serious after this, telling her that the next two guesses were his real ones.

"Explanation number three: you're simply angry that I used you like that. And to go as far as to punch me you must be _really_ angry, seeing as you never lose your temper."

Kel could latch onto that one, she decided, if the fourth explanation didn't work to her liking. Let him think she was a temperamental fool, as long as he didn't figure out the truth.

"Explanation number four. Do I really have to say it or are you going to tell me?" Kel remained silent. "Fine," he seemed to grow slightly nervous. "Number four: you really _do_ like me. And it wasn't an act at all."

The two starred at each other in silence for a while, both afraid of making the next move.

"If I really did like you that way," Kel said slowly, with no hints as to her true feelings, "why would I be angry with you? Wouldn't I be thrilled about living out my secret fantasy?" she asked reasonably. It had, after all, been a question she asked herself before she had finally agreed in the first place.

"Maybe," Dom admitted, also revealing no hints as to his own feelings regarding this subject. "Unless you thought my side of the performance was just an act, then you'd probably be furious."

Kel paused. "You said 'thought,'" she said with confusion.

He didn't say "knew;" he said "thought."

Her eyes opened wide as plates. "By the goddess…" she whispered, completely stunned. "_You_ really like _me._" It wasn't a question as Dom's had been.

Dom turned instantly scarlet. He hadn't counted on this interrogation turning against him. "W-what? I—but—"

"Are you saying you don't?" Kel asked. _Please say no please no please say no._

Dom gave out an exasperated sigh and then a curse. "You know," he said simply. "I know you know. So do you like me or do you really have secret dreams of being an actress?"

Kel closed her eyes tightly for a moment, then opened them again. She was taking a big chance here. "I meant every word I said today."

"Good," Dom said, with a very relieved-looking smile crossing his face. "Because so did I." He crossed the distance between them and kissed her. Fiercely.

"All these years?" Kel asked, breathless, not from the kiss but from the conversation. Well, maybe a little of both.

"It took me probably about a week after meeting you to realize I was in love with you," he admitted. "I should have known it from our first meeting."

"I did," Kel said. "From the first time we spoke." That earned her another, even deeper, kiss.


End file.
